Vancouverites warned about thin ice as temperatures rise
Posted January 19, 2024 12:05 pm.
The Vancouver Park Board is urging people to keep off the ice, after a deep freeze in the region saw many flock to outdoor ponds and lakes this week.
According to the board, with temperatures rising, “ponds will quickly start to thaw.”
“For your own safety, please do not attempt to go on any remaining frozen park ponds or lakes. The ice is thin, inconsistent and not safe,” a warning issued Friday reads.
On Monday, areas like Trout Lake were packed with people who were taking advantage of the rare opportunity to walk and skate on the ice that had formed amid sub-zero temperatures.
In Coquitlam, plenty of people took to the ice at Como Lake despite warnings posted around the area.
In Vancouver, however, people ventured onto the ice even though the Park Board “strongly advised” against it Sunday, citing “a variety of safety concerns.”
On Monday, the board reissued that warning, saying, “The temperature will need to stay below zero for an extended time for the ice to be thick enough to support the weight of a person or pet.”
On Tuesday, a person riding an ATV on the Brydon Lagoon in Langley fell through the ice with the off-roading vehicle, prompting further warnings from officials in that city.
“Any pond in the City, including Brydon Lagoon is not a sanctioned skating rink. The City has not tested the thickness of the ice and cannot confirm it is safe,” the city said in a social media post Tuesday.
The incident also angered the mayor, who said he was “extremely disappointed” that warnings had been ignored by this person.
“Our parks are urban, we are a city and, like much of Metro Vancouver, it’s really inappropriate to be riding motorized vehicles in urban parks, full stop. It’s even more disappointing that this individual decided to ride a heavy vehicle on thin ice in a sensitive ecosystem,” City of Langley Mayor Nathan Pachal told CityNews that day.
Meanwhile, the Vancouver Park Board is reminding people they should know what to do if they fall through the ice. Those include yelling for help, reaching and grabbing onto the ice, kicking hard and pushing your stomach onto the ice, and rolling like a log on the ice. You’re told not to get up to walk to the shore.
If you can’t get yourself out of the water, hang on and keep yelling until someone comes to help, the board says.
If you see someone in distress, the Park Board says to call 911 right away and not attempt to rescue them yourself. You’re asked to help walk the person in the water through the steps aforementioned and to continue watching and talking to the person until help arrives.
For those with pets, the Park Board is reminding you to keep them on leash at all times. If they fall through the ice, again, you’re told to call 911 and to not attempt to rescue the animal yourself.
